Posted on by Staff Report

A stats-based look ahead to the preseason, non-points race

Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida going into the Sprint Unlimited on Feb. 14. A total of 25 drivers are eligible to participate in the annual preseason, non-points race.

 

Sprint Unlimited at Daytona

2015 Eligible Participants Include:

  

Kyle Busch (2014 pole winner)

 

Austin Dillon (2014 pole winner)

 

Jeff Gordon (2014 pole winner)

  

Denny Hamlin (2014 pole winner)

  

Kevin Harvick (2014 pole winner)

  

Jimmie Johnson (2014 pole winner)

  

Matt Kenseth (2014 pole winner)

  

Brad Keselowski (2014 pole winner)

  

Kyle Larson (2014 pole winner)

 

Joey Logano (2014 pole winner)

  

Jamie McMurray (2014 pole winner)

  

Tony Stewart (2014 pole winner)

  

Kurt Busch (former Unlimited winner)

  

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (former Unlimited winner)

  

Carl Edwards (former D500 pole winner)

  

Danica Patrick (former D500 pole winner)

  

Greg Biffle (former D500 pole winner)

  

Martin Truex Jr. (former D500 pole winner)

 

Ryan Newman (2014 Chase driver)

  

Aric Almirola (2014 Chase driver)

 

Kasey Kahne (2014 Chase driver)

  

Clint Bowyer (2014 Driver Points)

  

Paul Menard (2014 Driver Points)

  

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2014 Driver Points)

  

Casey Mears (2014 Driver Points)

  

** The following drivers below are eligible for the 2015 Sprint Unlimited but have opted not to start.

 
 

David Gilliland (2014 pole winner)

  

AJ Allmendinger (2014 Chase driver)

  

Brian Scott (2014 pole winner)

  

Brian Vickers* (2014 pole winner)

  

 

Eligible Driver’s Performances

Aric Almirola – No. 43 Smithfield Ford – (Richard Petty Motorsports)

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2013     6          8          43         75                                 Running

Greg Biffle – No. 16 Ortho Ford – (Roush Fenway Racing)

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2005     5          2          16         70         1          44         Running

2007     13         5          16         70                                 Running

2008     20         17         16         48                                Accident

2009     17         26         16         72                                 Accident

2010     15         5          16         74         2          5          Accident

2011     5          11         16         75                                 Running

2012     6          7          16         82         3          17         Running

2013     2          4          16         75         1          2          Running

Clint Bowyer – No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota – (Michael Waltrip Racing)                                              

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2008     14         21         07         70                                 Running

2011     9          7          33         75         2          4          Running

2012     8          17         15         82                                 Running

Kurt Busch – No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet – (Stewart-Haas Racing)                                            

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2002     14         1          97         70         1          3          Running

2003     11         3          97         70         1          11         Running

2005     6          6          97         70                                 Running

2007     3          19         2          70         2          6          Running

2008     18         1          2          70                                Running

2009     9          12         2          78                                 Running

2010     23         22         2          32                                 Accident

2011     1          17         22         75         3          3          Running

2012     17         6          51         82                                 Accident

2013     13         18         78         15                                 Accident

2014     14         10         41         35                                 Accident

Kyle Busch – No. 18 M&M’s Crispy Toyota – (Joe Gibbs Racing)                                                                     

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2006     15         14         5          72         2          4          Running

2007     7          6          5          70         3          39         Running

2009     10         10         18         78         2          6          Running

2010     4          17         18         76                                 Running

2011     16         21         18         41         2          2          Accident

2012     1          2          18         82         2          3          Running

2013     16         13         18         14                                 Accident

2014     3          4          18         75         1          6          Running

Austin Dillon – No. 3 DOW Chevrolet – (Richard Childress Racing)

2015 will be Austin Dillon’s first appearance in the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona

Dale Earnhardt Jr. – No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet – (Hendrick Motorsports)                                                    

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2001     6          10         8          70                                 Running

2002     2          16         8          70         1          20         Running

2003     1          19         8          70         4          13         Running

2004     2          19         8          70                                 Running

2005     7          12         8          70                                 Running

2006     2          19         8          72         1          1          Running

2007     14         17         8          70                                 Running

2008     1          7          88         70         7          47         Running

2009     18         9          88         64         4          23         Accident

2010     11         11         88         76                                 Running

2011     19         1          88         27         3          4          Accident

2012     20         8          88         54         2          12         Accident

2013     8          16         88         75                                 Running

2014     9          14         88         65         1          7          Accident

Carl Edwards – No. 19 Toyota – (Joe Gibbs Racing)                                                                

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2006     16         11         99         71                                 Running

2008     12         20         99         70         1          1          Running

2009     7          11         99         78         2          11         Running

2010     17         1          99         74         2          42         Accident

2011     21         3          99         33                                 Accident

2012     9          11         99         82                                 Running

2013     12         1          99         75                                 Running

2014     13         7          99         35                                 Accident

Jeff Gordon – No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet – (Hendrick Motorsports)                                   

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status             

1994     1          6          24         20         1          2          Running

1995     4          5          24         20                                 Running

1996     9          7          24         20                                 Running

1997     1          3          24         20                                 Running

1998     14         5          24         25                                 Engine

1999     15         8          24         25                                 Running

2000     2          6          24         25                                 Running

2001     11         6          24         70                                 Running

2002     3          22         24         70                                 Running

2003     2          18         24         70         2          31         Running

2004     5          2          24         70         2          16         Running

2005     3          11         24         70                                 Running

2006     19         10         24         23                                 Accident

2007     21         11         24         31                                 Electrical

2008     4          22         24         70         1          1          Running

2009     4          28         24         78         2          2          Running

2010     6          23         24         76                                 Running

2011     6          12         24         75         1          1          Running

2012     15         14         24         73         3          16         Accident

2013     17         7          24         14                                 Accident

2014     12         13         24         35                                 Accident

Denny Hamlin – No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota – (Joe Gibbs Racing)                                                   

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2006     1          15         11         72         3          16         Running

2007     17         21         11         70                                 Running

2008     9          12         11         70                                Running

2009     13         5          11         78         2          4          Running

2010     5          24         11         76                                 Running

2011     12         4          11         75                                 Running

2012     5          16         11         82                                 Running

2013     15         5          11         14                                 Accident

2014     1          1          11         75         6          27         Running

Kevin Harvick – No. 4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet – (Stewart Haas Racing)                                                          

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2003     9          16         29         70                                 Running

2004     3          5          29         70         2          10         Running

2006     20         18         29         15                                 Engine

2007     5          20         29         70         2          11         Running

2009     1          27         29         78         1          1          Running

2010     1          2          29         76         5          21         Running

2011     7          18         29         75                                 Running

2012     22         22         29         54         3          4          Accident

2013     1          17         29         75         3          37         Running

2014     5          6          29         75         2          6          Running

Jimmie Johnson – No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet – (Hendrick Motorsports)

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2003     7          2          48         70         1          4          Running

2004     9          17         48         70                                 Running

2005     1          17         48         70         1          16         Running

2006     5          2          48         72         3          12         Running

2007     4          8          48         70                                 Running

2008     3          18         48         70                                Running

2009     14         21         48         77         1          2          Accident

2010     13         16         48         76                                 Running

2011     4          23         48         75         2          7          Running

2012     14         18         48         74         1          1          Accident

2013     14         11         48         14                                 Accident

2014     17         18         48         28                                 Accident

Kasey Kahne – No. 5 Great Clips Chevrolet – (Hendrick Motorsports)

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2005     9          13         9          70                                 Running

2006     18         5          9          35                                 Accident

2007     15         15         9          70                                 Running

2008     10         8          9          70                                 Running

2009     6          14         9          78         1          2          Running

2010     2          19         9          76                                 Running

2011     24         5          9          7                                  Engine

2012     13         19         4          79                                 Running

2013     7          3          5          75                                 Running

Matt Kenseth – No. 20 Dollar General Toyota – (Joe Gibbs Racing)                                                      

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2003     3          5          17         70         3          6          Running

2006     6          16         17         72                                 Running

2009     8          25         17         78         1          1          Running

2010     16         8          17         74                                 Accident

2011     13         19         17         74                                 Running

2012     21         23         17         54                                 Accident

2013     5          12         20         75         2          25         Running

2014     10         16         20         35                                 Accident

Brad Keselowski – No. 2 Miller Lite Ford – (Team Penske)                                                                  

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2012     4          3          2          82                                 Running

2014     2          5          2          75         3          8          Running

Kyle Larson – No. 42 Target Chevrolet –  (Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates)                                         

2015 will be Kyle Larson’s first appearance in the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona

Joey Logano – No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford – (Team Penske)                                                               

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2009     28         19         20         3                                  Accident

2010     7          21         20         76                                 Running

2011     18         22         20         27                                 Accident

2012     18         10         20         54         1          1          Accident

2013     3          9          22         75                                 Running

2014     4          11         22         75         2          11         Running

Casey Mears – No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet – (Germain Racing)                                                                    

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2005     13         18         41         70         1          2          Running

2008     6          24         5          70                                 Running

2009     15         24         07         77                                 Accident

Paul Menard – No. 27 PEAK / Menards Chevrolet – (Richard Childress Racing)                                                                   

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2009     12         1          98         78         1          2          Running

2012     23         24         27         8                                  Accident

Jamie McMurray – No. 1 McDonald’s Chevrolet – (Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates)                           

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2004     17         3          42         69         2          8          Accident

2006     8          17         26         72         1          1          Running

2008     22         4          26         24                                 Accident

2009     2          15         26         78         4          16         Running

2010     3          9          1          76         2          2          Running

2011     2          14         1          75                                 Running

2012     16         4          1          73         5          11         Accident

2014     6          2          1          75         2          10         Running

Ryan Newman – No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet – (Richard Childress Racing)                                          

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2002     15         8          12         70                                 Running

2003     4          15         12         70                                 Running

2004     16         16         12         69         1          4          Accident

2005     2          7          12         70         1          4          Running

2006     17         7          12         68                                 Accident

2007     20         9          12         46                                 Engine

2008     23         17         12         70                                 Running

2010     19         4          39         74                                 Accident

2011     3          8          39         75         3          18         Running

2012     7          13         39         82                                 Running

2014     8          17         31         75                                 Running

Danica Patrick – No. 10 GoDaddy/TaxACT Chevrolet – (Stewart Haas Racing)                                           

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2014     16         12         10         35                                 Accident

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – No. 17 Fastenal Ford – (Roush Fenway Racing)                                                

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2014     15         3          17         35                                 Accident

Tony Stewart – No. 14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet – (Stewart Haas Racing)                              

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2000     4          3          20         25                                 Running

2001     1          7          20         70                                 Running

2002     1          3          20         70         2          31         Running

2003     15         12         20         70                                 Running

2004     7          18         20         70                                 Running

2005     4          8          20         70                                 Running

2006     3          3          20         72         3          7          Running

2007     1          14         20         70         2          11         Running

2008     2          10         20         70         2          9          Running

2009     3          6          14         78         1          4          Running

2010     9          13         14         76         2          6          Running

2011     11         2          14         75         3          4          Running

2012     2          15         14         82         1          7          Running

2013     4          15         14         75         2          5          Running

2014     11         9          14         35                                 Accident

Martin Truex Jr. – No. 87 Furniture Row Chevrolet – (Furniture Row Racing)                                       

                                                            Times   Laps    

Year     Fin       St         Car       Laps     Led      Led      Status

2008     21         9          1          47                                 Accident

2012     19         1          56         54         2          7          Accident

2013     9          6          56         75         1          2          Running

The Sprint Unlimited Tidbits

·     The number of participants has ranged from a low of seven in 1981 to a high of 28 in 2009 (25 are eligible for this year’s event).

·         The drivers with the most Sprint Unlimited appearances:

o    Mark Martin (24)

o    Bill Elliott (23)

o    Jeff Gordon (21)

o    Ken Schrader (19)

o    Rusty Wallace (19)

·         Jeff Gordon has appeared in the most consecutive Sprint Unlimited races, competing in 21 consecutive events from 1994-2014.

·         There have been nine multiple winners in the Sprint Unlimited:

o    Dale Earnhardt won six events, most all-time (1980, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995).

o    Dale Jarrett won in 1996, 2000 and 2004.

o   Kevin Harvick won in 2009, 2010 and 2013.

o    Tony Stewart won in 2001, 2002 and 2007.

o    Other multiple winners: Neil Bonnett (1983-1984), Ken Schrader, (1989-1990), Jeff Gordon (1994 and 1997), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2003 and 2008) and Denny Hamlin (2006 and 2014).

o    Bonnett, Schrader, Stewart and Harvick are the only drivers to win back-to-back Sprint Unlimited races. No driver has won three consecutive Sprint Unlimited events.

·         Buddy Baker (1979), Dale Earnhardt (1980), Jeff Gordon (1994), Dale Jarrett (1996) and Denny Hamlin (2006) all won the first Sprint Unlimited in which they competed.

·         Only five times in the 32-year history of the race has the winner gone on to win the Daytona 500:

                    Bobby Allison (1982)
                    Bill Elliott (1987)
                    Dale Jarrett (1996 and 2000)
                    Jeff Gordon (1997)

·         There have been four winners from the pole: Darrell Waltrip (1981), Bill Elliott (1987), Ken Schrader (1989) and Denny Hamlin (2014).

·         Two drivers have swept the Sprint Unlimited, Daytona 500 pole and Daytona 500 from 1979-2014: Dale Jarrett (2000) and Bill Elliott (1987)

·         One driver has swept the Sprint Unlimited, Daytona 500 and the Coke Zero 400 from 1979-2014: Bobby Allison (1982).

·         Seven drivers have won the Sprint Unlimited (1979-2014) and the championship in the same season. Dale Earnhardt is the only one to have accomplished it multiple times (four times).

Tony Stewart (2002)
Jeff Gordon (1997)
Dale Earnhardt (1993)
Dale Earnhardt (1991)
Dale Earnhardt (1986)
Darrell Waltrip (1981)
Dale Earnhardt (1980)

·         Four drivers have won consecutive Sprint Unlimited races (1979-2014). None went on to win that year’s Daytona 500.

Kevin Harvick (2009-10)
Tony Stewart (2000-01)
Ken Schrader (1990-91)
Neil Bonnett (1983-84)

·         The format for The Sprint Unlimited has changed 13 times since its inception into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 1979.                                       |

·       Danica Patrick is the only female driver to have competed in the Sprint Unlimited (1979 – 2014) – she started 12th and finished 16th last season.

The Sprint Unlimited Manufacturer Recap

 

Manufacturer          Victories          Last Victory – Driver

Chevrolet                20                     2013 – Kevin Harvick

Ford                       7                      2004 – Dale Jarrett

Toyota                    2                      2014 – Denny Hamlin                

Buick                      2                      1982 – Bobby Allison

Oldsmobile             2                      1980 – Dale Earnhardt

Pontiac                   2                      2002 – Tony Stewart

Dodge                    1                      2011 – Kurt Busch

 

·         This season 14 Chevrolets, six Toyotas and five Fords are entered into the Sprint Unlimited

 

By the Numbers: The Sprint Unlimited

.013 – Margin of victory in seconds by Kyle Busch over Tony Stewart in 2012, the closest margin in Sprint Unlimited history

.058 – Margin of victory in seconds by Kurt Busch over Jamie McMurray in 2011, the second closest margin in Sprint Unlimited history

.08 – Margin of victory in seconds by Dale Earnhardt over Sterling Marlin in 1995, the third closest margin in Sprint Unlimited history

1 – Laps led by Rusty Wallace (1998), Neil Bonnett (1983-84), Dale Earnhardt (1980), Dale Jarrett (2000 and 2004) and Kevin Harvick (2009) in the Sprint Unlimited races they won

2.75 – Average finish by Dale Earnhardt, best by any driver with multiple starts

5 – Drivers who have won the event in their first appearance (Buddy Baker, 1979; Dale Earnhardt, 1980; Jeff Gordon, 1994; Dale Jarrett, 1996; Denny Hamlin, 2006)

6 – Number of Sprint Unlimited wins by Dale Earnhardt, the series leader

7 – Number of fewest starters in the field for the Sprint Unlimited (1981)

10 – Number of races led, the most since race began in 1979 (Dale Earnhardt Jr.)

11 – Number of starts before winning, most since race began in 1979 (Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin)

14 – Number of different leaders in the 2009 event, most since race began in 1979

20 – Number of wins by Chevrolet in the Sprint Unlimited, leads all manufacturers

21 – Most consecutive starts in the Sprint Unlimited by Jeff Gordon (1994-2014).

27 – Kevin Harvick’s starting position in 2009, the lowest by a race winner in the event’s history

28 – Number of lead changes in the 2011 event, highest number since race began in 1979

44 – Laps led by Greg Biffle in 2005, the most by a driver who did not win the event

47 – Laps led by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2008, the most in a single Sprint Unlimited was the 2013 event won by Kyle Busch.

197.802 mph – The fastest average speed of the race for the Sprint Unlimited was in 1987 won by Bill Elliott.

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR founder’s first official biography begins with enshrinement among legends

Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live

"Big Bill: The Life and Times of NASCAR Founder Bill France Sr." is the first official biography of the man who organized the sport. In the first of four excerpts that will appear over the next four weeks leading up to March 3, the publication date of the book, author H.A. Branham tells the story behind the induction of Bill France Sr. into the first class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

When plans for a NASCAR Hall of Fame were announced in February 2005, speculation immediately began about the induction process, specifically regarding how large the first class of inductees would be — and who would be chosen.

When it was announced in January 2009 that each class would consist of five people, the speculation evolved into prediction.

Everyone had an opinion.

There were shoo-ins, no doubt, for the inaugural induction on May 23, 2010, set for downtown Charlotte, North Carolina. Four of them, according to just about anyone who knew anything about NASCAR and was willing to discuss the potentially controversial subject matter.

Those four:
Richard Petty.
Dale Earnhardt.
Junior Johnson.
And …  Bill France Sr.

After that, well …  

There was the expected considerable momentum among fans and media for David Pearson, the popular three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion whose 105 wins ranked second all-time behind Petty’s 200.

Cale Yarborough and Darrell Waltrip, also three-time champs, seemed reasonable possibilities, as did two-time titlist Ned Jarrett, legendary owner/driver and World War II hero Bud Moore, Bobby Allison, too.

And …  Bill France Jr.

A wide gulf of public opinion separated the two Bills going into the voting process, which transpired on October 14, 2009, in Charlotte. After hours of deliberation by a voting panel representing constituencies from throughout the NASCAR industry — including the media — ballots were tabulated by the renowned accounting firm of Ernst & Young. That firm was on hand not because of the numbers involved but rather to demonstrate the legitimacy of the voting process.

Debate was intense during the voting panel sessions. Support for Bill Jr. grew as the debate continued. When votes were cast, he was in.

The rest of the "first five": Petty, Earnhardt, Johnson — and Bill Sr. …

Bill Sr. would’ve loved the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Just as he would have loved the decision to make him the very first inductee at the induction ceremony.

"It wasn’t an accident that he was the first one," said NASCAR Hall of Fame Executive Director Winston Kelley. "It was very intentional — as it should’ve been."

For the first several years of the NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, the inductee acceptance speeches were preceded by inductors’ speeches, designed to both honor and introduce the inductees. Some were fellow NASCAR notables. Some were family or friends. In the case of posthumous inductions, the inductors’ role was enhanced greatly. In the case of Bill France Sr.’s posthumous induction, a very special inductor was required, to say the least.

It was originally thought that Jim France would induct his father. As NASCAR’s vice chairman and the chairman of the International Speedway Corporation (ISC), he has had his own remarkable career in motorsports while somehow flying under the general public’s radar. Jim is an intensely private individual and also, those close to him say, an emotional man, which led to him reconsidering the task of standing up before a television audience and talking about his father for an extended period of time. He opted to deliver a briefer acceptance speech, which, upon further review, made more sense anyway.

John Cassidy inducts Bill France Sr. into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010.

Jim France turned to an old friend, John Cassidy, for help with the longer remarks. "Jimmy called me and said he wanted me to make the speech," Cassidy said. "I told him I would be honored. Jimmy dearly loved his father … "

Cassidy immediately went to work, as he has been doing for more than 50 years when it comes to the France family. Cassidy, then a robust 80 years old, is one of the last living direct links to Bill France Sr. and stands as one of the most interesting characters in the man’s colorful life.

Cassidy has long had NASCAR and its sister company, International Speedway Corporation (also founded by Bill Sr.) as clients, serving as a main adviser to Bill Sr. — and later, Bill Jr. — on legal matters such as antitrust, securities, competition rules, membership rights in voluntary organizations, and contracts. Cassidy was a founding partner in the Washington, D.C., law firm of Miller, Cassidy, Larroca & Lewin, LLP, which was merged into Baker Botts, LLP in January 2001. Cassidy founded his firm in 1965 after serving as a trial attorney in the criminal and tax divisions of the United States Department of Justice and as special assistant to the Attorney General of the United States, Robert F. Kennedy.

Bill Sr. had sought Cassidy’s help for the first time in 1961, when Kennedy was aggressively battling organized crime, working on prosecuting members of the Teamsters and, particularly, Jimmy Hoffa. The Teamsters had targeted NASCAR, and Bill France Sr. was on alert, absolutely convinced that unionization would cause the downfall of his sport.

"Senior had come up to D.C. to see Bobby about his Hoffa problem,” Cassidy recounted. "I was sitting in my office and the phone rang. It was Bobby. He said, ‘I’ve got a fella in my office who says his name is Bill France. He has something to do with something called NASCAR and all I know is that NASCAR has something to do with motorsports. Jimmy Hoffa is trying to move in and take it over and we can’t let that happen because this France guy …  he’s one of us. So I’m sending him down to your office and I want you to help him and NASCAR.’ "

Cassidy, still practicing law these days with Baker Botts (Baker, as in former U.S. Secretary of State and former White House Chief of Staff James Baker), took the job of inducting Bill France Sr. very seriously.

He worked on the speech for more than a month, going so far as enlisting his partner Baker as an editor. Once his initial speech draft was turned into NASCAR, the work continued, with Cassidy primarily collaborating with the late Jim Hunter, then NASCAR’s vice president of communications. Soon, however, a dilemma developed for organizers of the induction ceremony, scheduled to be broadcast on television. With each new draft, Cassidy’s speech got longer, considerably exceeding the time allotment established in the show’s script. A debate within NASCAR was squelched quickly by Hunter, with the induction only several days away.

"Goddamn it …  the speech is fine the way it is!" Hunter told staff members. "Leave it the f— alone. After all, this is Bill France Sr. we’re talking about! I don’t want to hear any more about this. Understand?"

It was understood.

As it turned out, all was fine. Cassidy self-edited on the fly, replacing a sizable portion of the prepared text with off-the-cuff storytelling. Cassidy mixed historical tidbits with personal tales and reminiscences of Bill Sr.’s life — and added his own perspective throughout, such as:

"People frequently say Bill Sr. was a ‘visionary.’ I don’t dispute that, but I prefer to call him a ‘dreamer who was also a man of action’ …  someone who turned dreams into reality. Not only did Bill follow his dreams …  he expected the rest of us to do likewise.

"Bill’s dreams of growth for NASCAR were only exceeded by his desire that stock car racing become a recognized and respected professional sport in America. If he were here today he would be the first to acknowledge NASCAR has exceeded his dreams."

NASCAR Vice Chairman and Executive Vice President Jim France accepts his father’s induction into the first class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010.

Jim France then accepted the honor of induction, along with the first-ever commemorative NASCAR Hall of Fame ring, for his late father — but came on to the stage with a special surprise in store.

"On behalf of everyone in our family, thank you, John, for that introduction and great tribute to my father," he began. "Let me begin by saying that our family is very proud to be involved in this memorable afternoon for the induction of my father and my brother Bill. We would like to thank the Hall of Fame voting panel for including them in this inaugural class with Junior, Richard, and Dale, truly the iconic heroes of NASCAR."

Jim France talked for only perhaps a minute more before sharing his surprise.

"In closing, I would like to offer the donation of this ring back to the NASCAR Hall of Fame for display wherever they would choose. Thank you."

And with that, the coronation was complete.

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Real-time race weekend data to be available on premier sports sites & applications

Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live | Vote: Ultimate Daytona Challenge

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 9, 2015) — NASCAR announced today a partnership with sports content provider SportsData, the U.S. subsidiary of global market leader Sportradar, to distribute its live timing and scoring data to third-party digital outlets.

SportsData, which has a customer base that includes Google®, Facebook®, Twitter® and Bleacher Report, will be the first content provider to go to market with data from the NASCAR timing and scoring feed for an entire race weekend.

The real-time data will be available for all three national series (NASCAR Sprint Cup SeriesTM, NASCAR XFINITY SeriesTM and NASCAR Camping World Truck SeriesTM) and allow digital outlets to develop enhanced NASCAR digital products, such as:

–    Live race leaderboard, including driver position, caution data, lap number and more
–    Practice and qualifying leaderboards
–    Official post-race race results
–    Official post-race points standings
–    Weekly entry lists

"Real-time data is imperative to today’s sports fan," said Colin Smith, NASCAR Vice President, Digital Media. "While we will continue to offer live timing and scoring and other data sets on NASCAR.com, this partnership with SportsData will extend NASCAR’s reach and allow an array of digital platforms to service sports fans more accurately and completely."

"Sports fans crave results in real time, and this partnership will help place NASCAR’s highly sought-after data into the larger marketplace," said Rob Phythian, Chief Executive Officer of SportsData. "Our partnership with NASCAR helps deliver on SportsData’s mission of being the premier distributor of sports content, and will help expand NASCAR’s already impressive reach."

Posted on by Staff Report

Veteran driver will drive No. 44 Chevrolet for Team Xtreme Racing

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Reed Sorenson will be driving in the 2015 Daytona 500 for Team Xtreme Racing, the organization announced on Monday.

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Sorenson will drive the No. 44 Chevrolet for the team. Golden Corral is on board to be the primary sponsor for Sorenson’s ride at Daytona.

Last season, Sorenson drove for Tommy Baldwin Racing in the No. 36 Chevrolet, making all 36 Sprint Cup Series starts of the 2014 season. The 29-year-old has five top-fives, 15 top-10s and one Coors Light Pole Award in 225 starts in the sport’s premier series.

"The Daytona 500 is always an exciting time of year. I am really looking forward to racing with Team Xtreme for the biggest race of the year," Sorenson said in a release provided by the team. "We’ve got a great looking Golden Corral Chevrolet and I want to see us feed some kids on Monday with the ‘Top 10 Kids Eat Free’ promotion."

Veteran crew chief Peter Sospenzo will be atop the pit box for the team.

"The 44 team has been hard at work over the offseason," team owner John Cohen said in a team release. "We have made some big steps to further our efforts in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and it all begins at Daytona. Hiring Reed Sorenson to drive for us at the 500 was the right move for our team, he excels at restritor plate racing and we are excited to get to Daytona."

Posted on by Staff Report

Gray Gaulding will also get seat time for the team

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Daniel Hemric and James Buescher will headline the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series lineup for NTS Motorsports in 2015, the team announced Monday.

Hemric will drive the No. 14 Chevrolet Silverado and compete for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors as a full-time driver. Ryan McKinney will serve as his crew chief.

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Hemric has made three career starts in the Truck Series with his best finish, a 12th-place result, coming at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2014.

McKinney was the crew chief for the team’s No. 9 Truck last season and had four top-10 finishes atop the pit box in 2014.

The 2012 series champion, Buescher will be behind the wheel of the No. 31 Chevrolet Silverado for select events. The No. 31 will be a full-time truck, but the team did not announce how many races Buescher would run. When Buescher is behind the wheel, he will have sponsors GunBroker.com and Great Clips on board.

NASCAR.com contributor Chris Rice will be the crew chief of the No. 31 team, while also serving as NTS Motorsports’ competition director. Rice has one career win atop the pit box in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. He worked with Buescher in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for part of last season as the crew chief of the No. 99 team.

The organization will also field a part-time team in the form of the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado. Gray Gaulding will run eight races and have sponsorship from Krispy Kreme, while Scott Lagasse Jr. will drive in two events. Gaulding, who turns 17 on Tuesday, ran nine events last season, scoring his first top-five finish in the series at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Gaulding will also pilot a full-time effort for the organization in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

Lagasse Jr. will be behind the wheel for the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway and the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He will be supported by the Florida Department of Transportation’s Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow initiative in addition to Boy Scouts of America. Veteran crew chief Doug Howe, who has one win in the series, will be atop the box for both drivers.

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Helton remains top official at national series events, Dewar assumes more oversight of racing development, innovation

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NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France has named Mike Helton to the post of Vice Chairman of NASCAR, and NASCAR’s Chief Operating Officer, Brent Dewar, has been named to the NASCAR Board of Directors, effective immediately.

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Helton, NASCAR’s president since 2000, has served the company in various roles since 1994 and will remain a member of the board of directors. In his new role, Helton will continue to be the senior official at all national series events, overseeing competition. He will also work closely with France on long-term strategic planning and represent NASCAR in a wide range of rules to grow the sport.

"Mike Helton’s steady hand and decades of experience in every facet of our business have made him a close, trusted advisor to me and my family and his overall impact on NASCAR cannot be overstated," France said in a news release. "With a strong team ready to take on more day-to-day management responsibilities, I’m pleased to now have Mike in a role that will allow us to utilize his unique skills in advancing key priorities for the future of the industry."

Dewar, who joined NASCAR in December of 2013 as NASCAR’s Chief Operating Officer, will assume additional day-to-day operational responsibilities in racing development and innovation and work with NASCAR partners and stakeholders. Dewar’s long career in the automotive industry and as a consultant to global companies should serve him well in his new role.

"Adding someone as talented and experienced as Brent Dewar to our board will be highly beneficial to our company and the industry overall. Brent’s operational expertise already has made a big impact and his understanding of how our sport works from multiple perspectives will bring immediate value to how we operate and future initiatives," France said.

These latest moves are part of a long-term strategic plan spearheaded by France to strengthen his senior leadership team and broaden responsibility for key areas of the business.

In December 2013, NASCAR elevated Steve Phelps to Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer and Steve O’Donnell to Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer, giving both more direct oversight of key business areas. Both also moved from the company’s Daytona Beach headquarters to the Charlotte region to oversee operations at NASCAR Plaza in uptown Charlotte and the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, respectively, as well as strengthen alignment and communication with key industry stakeholders based in the Carolinas.

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Sponsor will be back of No. 20 XFINITY Series Toyota for five races

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A familiar sponsor will be back on board with Joe Gibbs Racing and Matt Kenseth’s No. 20 Toyota in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for the 2015 season.

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Reser’s Fine Foods will be the primary sponsor of Kenseth and the No. 20 Toyota for five XFINITY Series races in 2015, beginning with the second race of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Feb. 28.

"I’m excited to work with Reser’s again this year," Kenseth said in a release provided by the team. "It has been a lot of fun representing their deli salad and baked side dish brands over the past few seasons, and I’m happy to know that we’ll be working together again. We were able to grab them a big win along the way, but I’d like to add to that total for them this year."

In addition to the XFINITY Series race at Atlanta, Reser’s will be the primary sponsor for the following races:

• March 14 at Phoenix International Raceway
• May 30 at Dover International Speedway
• Sept. 19 at Chicagoland Speedway
• Oct. 17 at Kansas Speedway

Posted on by Zack Albert

RCR driver aims for consistency, communication, Daytona 500 upset

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There was no such thing as a stay-cation for Ty Dillon this offseason. Between his December wedding to longtime girlfriend Haley Carey, spending the holidays with family and a Hawaii honeymoon, Dillon estimated his hither-and-yon wintertime schedule kept him away from home for a month.

His next sojourn? A trip to Daytona with several points to prove.

Dillon’s busy time off will lead to an even busier driving schedule in 2015, which will mark his second full season in what is now the NASCAR XFINITY Series. But the 22-year-old driver is also blending in a partial schedule in NASCAR’s other two national tours, including his biggest Sprint Cup challenge to date — a debut in the Great American Race, the Daytona 500 on Feb. 22 (1 p.m. ET, FOX).

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Dillon readily acknowledges the crapshoot nature of the season-opening event, but hopes that translates to a better shot for a relative newcomer to NASCAR’s top division.

"I think my odds are good," Dillon said during Richard Childress Racing’s portion of last month’s Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour presented by Technocom. "I think everybody dreams of just having that opportunity to be in the 500, and I’ve finally got my chance. I love superspeedway racing, and I’m going to do whatever I can."

But beyond the sunny shores of Florida, Dillon has long-term improvement in his full-time series in mind. Though Dillon wound up fifth in the final XFINITY Series points, his first full year working with crew chief Danny Stockman Jr. and first complete season in the RCR No. 3 Camaro, he was outshone by the 1-2 result in the standings by JR Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott, the rookie champion, and Regan Smith.

Back home and focused on his at-track duties, Dillon said he believes 2015 won’t be a repeat of the previous season, when he went until mid-July without a top-five effort.

"Danny and I have really been really been working hard with our team and making sure we do take that next step and make sure we don’t start like last year," Dillon said. "We all felt like we started a couple steps behind from where Chase Elliott and the JR Motorsports cars were. We want to be those guys this year. We want them to be a couple steps behind us. The way things are going, I feel like we’re going to have an opportunity to do that."

Developing communication — which should also serve Dillon well as a newlywed — will likely be key to helping the Childress team make gains. Stockman worked with Austin Dillon for two seasons, leading him to a series championship in 2013 before shifting over to turn the wrenches on his brother’s efforts in the famed No. 3.

Austin Dillon’s more vocal, outward personality — Ty Dillon referred to him as the "crowd-pleaser" of the two; Stockman called him a "show-stopper" — made for a vastly different driver-crew chief dynamic. The younger, and more reserved, Dillon’s feedback and driving style took an adjustment period before things began to click.

"We don’t talk about a whole lot. We like to show it on the race track," Stockman said. "The first half of the season last year, that was tough between both of us. I worked with Ty before, but it takes a little bit for us both to open up. Halfway through the season, we’re opened up and I’m understanding him and he’s understanding me, and that’s a big part of success, knowing what your driver needs. They’re both totally different. Austin’s one person, and he’s another.

"Like I was telling somebody earlier, Ty’s not all about the frills. He just kind of wants to lay back; he’s not necessarily enthused about being on TV, the interviews or all that stuff. He just wants to drive a race car. Austin likes being on top, being known and all that. It takes some time to figure that out."

Once things coalesced, a landmark victory at historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway followed, but the sought-after consistency that Dillon needed to unseat Elliott for the XFINITY crown wasn’t quite there. Finding a steady hand over the rigors of a 33-race season remains the primary concern heading into 2015.

But even as the focus sharpens on his XFINITY campaign, Dillon is set to branch out to gain as much seat time as possible this year. Besides his Daytona 500 ride, Dillon is also confirmed to race in June at Pocono Raceway with the hopes of adding more Sprint cup events for an estimated five- to six-race schedule. He’ll also get behind the wheel for three Camping World Truck Series events with GMS Racing this season.

So long as the team chemistry and extra effort at RCR’s Welcome, North Carolina, headquarters continue to grow, Dillon said he believes his development will follow.

"With the passion and intensity that we share, we’ve been digging hard and we work together almost every day," Dillon said of his pairing with Stockman. "Whether it’s me coming up with ideas or his ideas in bringing our team together, we want to take that next step and we want to dominate this year."

Posted on by Nascar

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s new crew chief puts No. 88 team in best possible position

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he had one specific request of Steve Letarte when the two were discussing his crew chief’s replacement for the Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 team.
 
"I said ‘One of the things you’re responsible for is putting me in a better situation than I’m in right now,’" Earnhardt Jr. said during this year’s annual Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour presented by Technocom.
 
"I said, ‘I want to get better at this position that you’re in. I don’t want to do a lateral move; I don’t want to drop down and wait on the guy to develop. … I need you to comb the sport and tell me, give me some names of some guys that can make us better."
 
The name at the top of the list, Earnhardt said, was Greg Ives.

MORE: Junior’s pit crew for the No. 88 team named

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A former engineer at HMS, Ives was putting the finishing touches on his second season at JR Motorsports, eventually helping guide Sunoco Rookie of the Year Chase Elliott to the NASCAR XFINITY (then Nationwide) Series title.
 
The year before he had been teamed with JRM driver Regan Smith — Smith won twice and finished third in points.
 
For 2015, he will be back in the Sprint Cup Series, this time as crew chief for Earnhardt.
 
Letarte is headed off to NBC Sports’ broadcast booth where he will serve as one of the network’s analysts for its NASCAR coverage. He leaves after leading Earnhardt to his best season, if not his best points finish, in a decade.

RELATED: Letarte weighs in on Chase format in Year 2
 
That Ives is meticulous in his role as crew chief didn’t surprise Earnhardt Jr. — he’d seen it firsthand at JRM.
 
"He’s a real detail guy," Earnhardt said. "I asked him about the Daytona car, some of the things he’s working on, and he ran down this list of about 50 things. They are the most particular, peculiar, tiny things that he is concerned with and when you ask him something, he is going to give you the full rundown."
 
Nothing escapes the eye of Ives, it seems. Even a show car used for a recent photo shoot produced a list of nearly 25 items Ives wanted changed.
 
"You know that’s going to be a positive going into the relationship, that he’s that particular," Earnhardt said. "You want a guy who is a perfectionist. There are crew chiefs out there that don’t cover every single base — maybe he’ll learn over time that he can’t cover every single base, (that) he just doesn’t have the time in the day, but this offseason … he’s had time to comb the shop from corner to corner and work on every little detail he sees where we can improve.
 
"He is thorough and that’s going to make a huge difference in how we are prepared each weekend and getting our cars out on the race track and being fast."
 
Ives, a team engineer for Jimmie Johnson when the HMS driver was busy stacking up championships, downplays his work ethic and detail-oriented approach.
 
"That’s the way I’m wired," Ives said. "If I look at something and it doesn’t look right, I’m representing Hendrick Motorsports, the 88 team and (sponsor) Nationwide, that’s my job — to be 100 percent perfect at all times.
 
"Not because that’s required by anybody else other than myself. That’s that mindset … if you have it and you surround yourself with people with it, they’re going to be the same way."

MORE: Primary sponsor reveals races that its paint scheme will run on the No. 88 car
 
Having come though the Hendrick system, there should be no problem making sure everyone is on the same page. Many of the folks are those he has worked alongside in the past. Car chief Travis Mack makes the move from JRM over to the No. 88 team, and Kevin Meendering has served as Earnhardt’s lead engineer for the last four seasons.
 
That he’ll be paired with the sport’s most popular driver won’t affect how he does his job, Ives said.
 
"(The spotlight) follows him, not me," he said. "My focus is not who is driving my car but how they perform when they do it.
 
"If you can take only the good, the praise … and you can’t take the bad then you better get out of this position. I’ve been criticized; I’ve been praised. The way I attack my daily work doesn’t change. I wake up in the morning (and) do the same thing — try to attack the day and make it the best day yet."
 
While the lines of communication might be a bit fuzzy early on due to the lack of testing, Earnhardt said he’s more than willing to do his part to speed up the process. And his experience with Letarte helped prepare him for just such a situation.
 
"Trust me … I’m going to be a professional and be positive, do everything that I can to make it as easy as possible on Greg," he said. "I learned that with Steve, how to be a better driver and more of an asset. … I think the cars will have the speed. So I’m excited."

Posted on by Nascar

Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate to replace Whitt in No. 26 Toyota

Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live | Vote: Ultimate Daytona Challenge

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jeb Burton had hoped to work his way up the NASCAR ladder and eventually land a ride in the Sprint Cup Series.
 
But even the 22-year-old didn’t expect the opportunity to arrive this soon.
 
BK Racing officially announced the hiring of Burton to a three-year contract on Monday to drive the organization’s No. 26 Toyota in the Sprint Cup Series.
 
"It’s mixed emotions," Burton said during Monday’s press conference at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. "Just making sure that I’m ready for it. I feel like I am.
 
"It’s a great opportunity for me to prove myself, to show people that I can do it, and to carry that role off the race track as well."

RELATED: See which drivers are on the move for 2015

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Burton, the son of former Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton, has completed two full seasons in the Camping World Truck Series, winning at Texas Motor Speedway in 2013 and finishing fifth in points that year with Turner Scott Motorsports. He finished eighth in points last season while running for ThorSport Racing.
 
He has two career XFINITY Series starts, with a best result of eighth at Kentucky.
 
It’s the second time that Burton has landed a ride shortly before the season has begun. After the loss of sponsorship at Turner Scott left him without plans for ’14, the ThorSport ride materialized. When that ride wasn’t continued for ’15, Burton was once again looking for employment.
 
"I didn’t have a ride," he said. "This is a great opportunity to get to where I want to be. That’s why we’re doing it. We’ve got a great plan in place with people and equipment to make things better at BK Racing. It’s been a bumpy (career) for them … just like mine."
 
The off-season defection of Cole Whitt and Alex Bowman opened the door for Burton, as well as fellow driver J.J. Yeley, who will pilot the team’s No. 23 Toyota. Yeley made nine starts for the organization last year.
 
Whitt, 31st in points last season with BKR, has moved on to Front Row Motorsports while Bowman (35th) has joined Tommy Baldwin Racing for ’15.
 
Johnny Sauter will join Burton and Yeley at BKR when the season gets underway later this month at Daytona International Speedway in the team’s No. 83 entry, although additional starts for the NCWTS regular haven’t been announced.
 
Selected starts for XFINITY Series driver Matt DiBenedetto are planned, according to team officials.
 
Patrick Donahue will serve as crew chief for Burton, while Joe Williams will be paired with Yeley. Competition director Doug Richert will be crew chief for Sauter at Daytona.
 
"It’s a lot (to bite off)," Donahue said of Burton’s quick ascension. "But you can either do this or you can’t and he’s proven he has talent. I certainly think he deserves an opportunity.
 
"But until you get out there Saturday afternoon at Daytona and they’re shoving you down into Turn 1 three-wide, then you’re going to find out what he’s made of. I think he’s aware of that. We’ll deal with it accordingly.
 
"Is he going to make mistakes? Yes. Is the team going to make mistakes? Yes. But the race team wants to build with him and build around him for the future. … Hopefully it’s someone we can have for a few years and get some continuity."
 
Sponsorship is expected to be provided by Dr. Pepper, Maxim Magazine, Dustless Blasting, Schluter Systems, Lumilor, and the alternative rock group 311.
 
The 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season officially kicks off Sunday, Feb. 22 with the running of the 57th annual Daytona 500 (FOX, 1 p.m. ET).
 
"It’s totally different," Burton, who will be competing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors, said of the move. "The pressure, there’s more practice time, more media obligations, everything.
 
"I’m soaking it all in and I look forward to getting to Daytona and making the 500."